I wrote a story that ran this week in the Omaha Reader about Joey Lynch’s newest project, Push Gallery, which will have its opening debut this April. Joey and I talked about a lot more than just the first show and the gallery launch during our morning hanging out. Over a few cups of some excellent French press coffee (thanks again, Joey) we talked about the state of Omaha redevelopment projects, ideas about what makes a good art show, the latest projects he’s brewing in his new basement studio and lots of other stuff.

Stay updated on the developments at Push via it’s Facebook fan page, and read more about Lynch below.

Thanks to Marlon A. Wright for providing an outtake from the photo shoot he did during the interview.

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Lynch is known around the Omaha and Lincoln art scene for his large-scale screen print works, but lately he hasn’t been creating them as much, instead choosing to focus on working with bands to create merchandise and album covers.

His new studio–in the basement of Push–is where he’s been spending a lot of time lately, working on these band collaborations. He said it’s challenging spending time in the space, which is fluorescent-lit, and he might end up moving his desk space upstairs, where natural light reigns.

He said the communal live-work space he’s in now is working well.

Though he misses the bike rides to and from his live-work spaces, he said now that seems like wasted time.

“To me, it’s just like having a day job,” he said.

He didn’t tie the gallery opening to a certain date.

“I wanted to be in the space and get a feel for it,” he said. “I had to see it. Today (the day in March when we spoke), for the first time, it finally feels like what I wanted.”

Lynch said he learned a lot from the time he spent working at the Bemis Center in 2008: building walls was one thing, but installing and de-installing shows was another.

“One of my favorite times of any art show is when you go in with tools and clean and paint the walls and patch holes,” he said. “It brings the space back to blank. That’s when you really see a space.”

Lynch said he’s got plans for a grand opening of Push gallery this spring. Stay tuned for details.